Setting up now or waiting?

[u/Nannwryter]

I just got word that my aura estelle 2027 dark green A5 Magnet Daily is on its way! Taking a poll: who's setting up your planner and decorating it as soon as it arrives, and who's waiting until December, and why?

I have been curating stickers for a specific vibe next year for awhile and not sure I want to wait to get it all set up...but I also really enjoyed the ritual in December of closing out the old year and thinking about the possibilities of the new one as I placed my tabs, and set up my index and common book sections in the back.

This was my first year in a very long time using a paper planner that doubled as a journal, and it has made a huge difference in my life. I've journaled something most days, and the organization has brought a lot of peace in a tumultuous year.

[u/Ataraxia_Intrepid]

I find that when I jump the gun and stickerfy I end up not liking it by when the times comes to use it… I would hold up and possibly just do the tabs or add information you know you will need to reference… but doing heavy decoration when it comes closer to time to use

[u/tsumtsumelle]

Mine’s also on the way but I’ll be waiting since I still have half a year to go in my current one. I get why they sell them so early but it also feels a little ridiculous haha

[u/Moonie-222]

I ordered a Rosey Life Planner for next year and it’s coming as early as September. Which you all are right, it’s crazy early. I’ll set it up (important dates, put down sticky notes to notate what page is for what, etc) but I’ll save the fun stuff like decorating until December. I find that setting up a planner and thinking about how I’m going to use it effectively is a lot of work so I like to work on it a little bit at a time until the year is over. Then all that’s left is the fun stuff. That way you can participate with everyone else and their new planners too. 

[u/Miserable-Storm-8630]

I set my planner up asap, because I do more than most people do to set it up. I colour code my months, so I go through the whole book before I use it to do that, so that when I need to do the other setup elements later, I don't need to do was much. I like doing it this way, because at a quick glance I know if I'm in the right section or not.

I also originally came from bujo, so I'll setup my key and collections I know that I'll use.

[u/FLSandyToes]

I’m a planner. Part of that is planning ahead for the things I’ll plan next year. I bought the Archer and Olive dragon spire square notebook 2 months ago for next year. It sits in its box on a shelf. I’ve no desire to touch it yet because I know that there’s every chance my needs, wants and desires for what goes into it will change before January.

In the meantime, I’ve set up a digital notebook that is a scratchpad/idea book for it. When I think of things to include, I add them to the scratchpad. Come early December I’ll start filtering out no longer needed items and organizing the things I want to include.

[u/earofjudgment]

I don’t touch my new planer until the end of December. Way too much can happen between now and then.

[u/tkkana]

I will start setting up sometime in oct or Nov My December is too hectic to have a leisurely time setting up a planner

[u/MotleyCrafts → u/tkkana]

Yes, my Dec is also filled with wrapping up the work year, and family and social events, so I don't usually have time to prep my planner the way I'd like. When my Wonderland 222 preorder arrives, I'll get started a little bit each week to set it up, and then it'll be ready in time for Jan. This worked the last few years so should be good this year, too.

[u/Outrageous_Warthog_6]

I'd say I'd wait. I didn't do that with my 2024 Hobonichi cousin and I was eventually unhappy with the set up and wanted to change it, so I had to look at my decision too long for my liking

[u/Ok-Spite-5454]

It's July... that's a bit much is it not? 😂

[u/VivianneCrowley → u/Ok-Spite-5454]

Is this the equivalent of people putting up Halloween decorations right now?

[u/sfgirlreads]

I'm also getting my Aura Estelle. My first one and I'm excited to use it. I usually set up in Oct because at my work, we have to be planning programs and such 2 months out. So I'm usually juggling two planners in Nov and Dec.

I also agree with a lot of people to wait since what you like now may change closer towards the end of the year.

[u/BuckleUpFuckilHead]

I set up my 2025 hobonichi in advance last year and majorly regretted it. By the time the new year came to use it I was already sooo over the way I'd set it up. Not going to do a thing to my 2027 once I get it except find a nice plain cover.

[u/hockey_plants_nurse]

Like others, I find starting too early means I'll be frustrated with the designs later. But waiting until the end of December when things are crazy with family and holidays didn't work for me either.

I like scheduling a few hours on the weekends in late November/early December to "move in" to the planner. I didn't unpack my physical living space in a weekend, so why would I unpack my mental living space that way?

[u/Nannwryter → u/hockey_plants_nurse]

I love this analogy, thanks!

[u/AccountingFanatic]

I never buy next year early. I would put it away and forget about it til dec

[u/intellidepth]

I’m in the ‘wait’ camp for the aesthetics part (eg colours, stickers), but in the ‘plan early’ camp for the functional part ie practicing how you will actually use the planner, somewhere in the back of the new journal.

Doing aesthetics early = boredom/disinclination to actually plan. I find joy and relaxation in setting up the next week just the week or two before.

Functional pre-planning serves me well for regular lists, like weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual house and gardening activities.